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Pluto
Pluto is the largest object in the Kuiper belt, and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun. It is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet, after Eris. Like other Kuiper-belt objects, Pluto is composed primarily of rock and ice and is relatively small, approximately one-sixth the mass of the Moon and one-third its volume. It has an eccentric and highly inclined orbit that takes it from 30 to 49 AU (4.4–7.4 billion km) from the Sun. This causes Pluto to periodically come closer to the Sun than Neptune, but an orbital resonance with Neptune prevents the bodies from colliding. In 2014 it was 32.6 AU from the Sun. Discovered in 1930, Pluto was originally classified as the ninth planet from the Sun. Its status as a major planet fell into question following further study of it and the outer Solar System over the ensuing 75 years. Starting in 1977 with the discovery of the minor planet 2060 Chiron, numerous icy objects similar to Pluto with eccentric orbits were found.The most notable of these was the scattered disc object Eris, discovered in 2005, which is 27% more massive than Pluto.The understanding that Pluto is only one of several large icy bodies in the outer Solar System prompted the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to define formally in 2006 what it means to be a "planet". This definition excluded Pluto and reclassified it as a member of the new "dwarf planet" category (and specifically as a plutoid). Pluto has five known moons: Charon (the largest, with a diameter just over half that of Pluto), Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx. Pluto and Charon are sometimes described as a binary system because the barycenter of their orbits does not lie within either body. Pluto has been eliminated from most proper maps of the solar system, after being demoted from planetary status. The small icy world now serves as a junk and salvage yard, a boundless expanse of ruined ships, discarded mechs, and age old technology. The job of recycling and reconstituting the scraps for the highest bidder is a dangerous, yet rewarding career. The salvaging industry is quite a cutthroat one, with different salvage crews fighting over the rights for each bundle of metal and tech. The planetary operation is run by a minor Dominion affiliated group of salvage corporations, but they're more profit-minded than factionally. All groups benefit from the salvage import and export business, and many of the ships fielded by the Terran Military, the Olympian forces, and the system’s pirate community were probably at one point junkers rusting away on Pluto. The salvage corporations take advantage of the Dominion prison complex based on the moon, Charon, for all of their manual labor needs. For one reason or another, the operation on Pluto seems to be drawing heavily on Dominion finances. More funds seem to be allocated to the operation than would be required to run both the salvage ops and keep the prison maintained. Possibly a bookkeeping error, or perhaps the Dominion has plans for Pluto after all. Category:Planets